40 DAYS in the GOSPEL Sample

REJECTION

It was in the sign they nailed above His head to mock Him. It was in the crown of thorns they twisted together and pushed into His head. It was in the shouted taunts and insults hurled by the religious leaders who came by the cross for their last chance to condemn Jesus for claiming to be the Messiah.

“This is your last chance, Jesus. If you’re not a fraud, come on down from there and show us your power!'"

The only use the soldiers could find for the Son of God was to gamble for His clothes. Even the two thieves who were crucified next to Him saw nothing in Him to like and told Him so. Rejection was something that Jesus knew a lot about from personal experience. Our text today is one of the darkest examples of it.

Rejection is one of the most emotionally painful things we can face in life. A sense of belonging is vital for a person to thrive. When we have to face moments of not being the right person or just not being good enough for others, it can deeply affect us. This is why God made a dramatic point in history by subjecting Himself, in His Son Jesus Christ, to the harshest rejection known to man. The scripture says that Jesus came to His own people, and His own people did not receive Him (see John 1:11-13). The rejection faced by our Savior is a vital part of the gospel.

When we are reconciled to God through the gospel, He accepts us, wholeheartedly and forever. We are coming to the one who did not have to face rejection but chose to. When He speaks into our lives and says that we are forgiven, accepted, and free, He knows what He is saying. He was without sin but took rejection into His life on our behalf. It’s not just words with Him. It was the blood, sweat, and tears of the cross.

PRAY ABOUT IT: Do you have wounds of rejection in your life that often keep you from loving God and other people? Take them to a God who understands. They will not be magically removed from your soul, but the process of healing and growing closer to God can begin today.